Greetings globetrotters! I hope that you all are well. We are now into 2022 and I’m so grateful that I had the chance to head to Dubai this month to check out the Dubai Expo 2020. As a globetrotter, this is right up my alley of events. Of course considering we are still in the midst of a pandemic, it was mandatory to take a Covid-19 test before entering the UAE and upon return back to Oman. I’m happy to say that I stayed protected from catching covid (again like I did last summer).
During my week in Dubai I stayed at FIVE Jumeirah Village and had a lovely stay there. The hotel is extra lux, offers delicious food, and relaxing stays. I was also grateful that they offer onsite covid testing at a fee right from the comfort of your room. The views from the 26th floor suite that I stayed in were incredible as well. I highly recommend a stay there. I arrived early for check-in, dropped my bags with the concierge and headed straight to the Expo site afterwards.
I explored the Expo site over 4 days during my 8 day stay in Dubai for my winter break. I really do feel that you need at least 3-4 days to fully grasp the magnitude of the Expo site. It consists over of 192 country pavilions, loads of experiences to have, dining options from around the globe, and performers from around the world as well. I was fortunate enough to be in town when a K-Pop night was hosted by the Korean Pavilion. The president of S. Korea himself made it out to see performances by PSY Mr. Gangnam Style himself, Sunmi, Stray Kids, and more. Make sure to check out the Expo 2020 calendar of events and download the app if you are planning a trip there before it ends in March.
So many pavilions were incredibly done, from the Egyptian Pavilion to the Oman, Jordan, and Indonesia Pavilions. However, one of my favorites was surely the Saudi Arabia Pavilion. I was pretty impressed with not only the decor but attention to detail in the outstanding videos and productions. While I Loved the K-pop night to highlight S. Korea’s National Day, I was a little underwhelmed by the South Korea Pavilion overall. While it was massive and focused on technology (participants were given Samsung cellphones to use to explore the site), I was still not as impressed by it as others.
While the pavilions were amazing to experience, so was the food. I had some really fantastic meals while at the Expo including African food from the Alkebulan African Dining Hall. It doesn’t get much better than getting peri peri chicken, jollof rice, and Pinotage South African wine for me. I also enjoyed a 5 course Italian meal after attending a press conference with the Italian Pavilion. The lunch was hosted at M-Eating Italy and was delectable. Overall, I highly recommend a visit to Dubai Expo 2020 if you are planning to be in the region before the end of March. I had a great time. Have you been to the Expo or plan on going globetrotters?